When 9-1-1 season 8 ended, fans were sure that Hen Wilson (Aisha Hinds) would take over the role of Captain in the wake of Bobby Nash’s death. However, in a surprising move, she turned down the position despite spending two seasons being primed for the role. Is there still a chance she could change her mind and take the job?
Season 8 was a roller coaster for Hen, starting with having to deal with her former captain coming back briefly when Bobby had not been able to come back to work after going for retirement. Even though it was difficult for Hen, she had to walk a fine line because at the same time, she and her wife, Karen (Tracie Thoms) were battling against a vengeful congresswoman who was keeping them from adopting their daughter, Mara.
Mara had come to the Wilsons in season 7 after being in foster care due to the death of her parents. She had been extremely quiet and fearful until they managed to bring her out of her shell. For the time being, Mara was staying with Maddie and Chimney Han (Jennifer Love Hewitt and Kenneth Choi) while they could figure out how to get Mara back into Hen and Karen’s custody.
Luckily, they did manage to get her back and all seemed well. Of course, more difficulties came for them when their son, Denny, was injured in a car accident while going trick or treating. Karen managed to save her son’s life after they got the idea to do a quick blood transfusion when his injuries began to go downhill.
What do fans want to see from Hen's arc in 911 season 9?
Even though we didn’t get to see a lot of storylines with the family, we did see how the job affected her time with family. While it had not seemed like there was ever an issue before, this season saw Karen concerned about the time work was taking Hen from them. Despite all this, Karen continued to be supportive and even tried to help in season 8, episode 15 when she got news that her wife was injured in the lab explosion that led to Bobby’s death.
Karen was such an amazing support system during and after the emergency. It was clear she was worried about Hen, but was there for her when she struggled, especially during the funeral. If Karen did have concerns about Hen and the job, season 9 could allow them to flesh this out more. Tracie Thoms is such an incredible addition to the show and we always want to see more of her.
The idea that Karen was unhappy with the job taking Hen’s time was surprising, and it may have been hinting that eventually Hen would decide not to take on the position of Captain. However, fans would have liked to see more discussion between them to see why Hen chose not to go for it.
When Bobby died, Hen eventually told Athena (Angela Bassett) that she still had a hard time seeing anyone else as captain. She also expressed concern that if she did turn it down, did this mean she would not be able to rise up in the ranks in the future? They have always had such a close bond as friends, and even though Athena was mourning her husband, she still showed Hen that she believed she could do the job.
Hen told her team that she wasn’t going to take the job, which surprised them, especially her best friend, Chimney. And by the end of the season, Hen had officially turned it down. Even though they were disappointed, her team stood by her decision. As Evan Buckley (Oliver Stark) told her, she had to make the right decision for herself.
With the season 8 finale foreshadowing that Chimney may eventually take on the role of captain, it leaves us to wonder what is in store for Hen. Could she change her mind and try to vie for it, even if Chimney also tries out for captain? Will we see someone new come in and shake things up before either of them can go up for it?
The 118 looks and feels so different now without Bobby, but with Hen having been there for so long, and having taken the mantle before, it’s hard to imagine anyone else stepping in. She has been primed to take the spot for so long, and it seems like whenever Hen is close to reaching a goal, she pulls back. Fans would love to see her follow through and go for a promotion that would see her guide her team.
After all, she was once told that she was “the future of the LAFD” back in flashbacks during the episode “Hen Begins” in season 2. Seeing her fulfill that vision would be an incredible callback to how she first began at the 118.
If Hen does end up not moving up for now, fans want to see more family moments with the Wilsons, and especially them in happy moments. There was a lot of drama for them lately, from struggling with Mara’s adoption to Denny’s accident. Luckily, the series did finish the season by finalizing Mara’s adoption, bringing her into the family permanently.
Season 9 would be a great way to see them continue growing together, and we hope that after a season of tragedy that things will begin to look up for them.
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